News

1/29/2024

Laity, you're invited to one of four gatherings in March 2024.  Hosted by the Conference Board of Laity, these regional sessions are a time for members of North Georgia Conference United Methodist churches to come together for fellowship, relationship building, and strengthening our United Methodist identity and our identity as disciples of Jesus Christ. While each gathering is directed to two districts, laity may attend any gathering in any region—and attend as many as you would like. Bishop ...

1/25/2024

The Barnes Evaluation and Administration Team completed its work for 2023 having invested $1.29 million dollars last year in innovative mission and ministry throughout the North Georgia Conference that will change lives and spread the gospel of Jesus Christ in new ways. The 2024 grant cycle is now underway! Deadlines remain the same as 2023, with one change. Grant application submission deadlines for 2024 are February 1 and September 1 for churches and approved Conference Boards and Agencies. ...

1/25/2024

By Phyliss Williamson My church, Fayetteville First UMC, has been offering Messy Church for the last four or five months. When we first began this outreach, we really had no idea what to expect. I imagined something like Saturday Bible School for a few hours, with parents included and lunch served.  Messy Church is open to the whole community. It's a time for games and planned crafts, and of course a lesson. Families come with children of various ages. One of my favorite experiences of Messy ...

1/24/2024

As General Conference prepares to gather in Charlotte, NC, April 23-May 3, the final pieces are coming together.  The Advance edition of the Daily Christian Advocate is now available online at DailyChristianAdvocate.org. The Advance Daily Christian Advocate (ADCA) contains the agenda, rules, petitions, reports from the general agencies/commissions and study committees, information for delegates, and codes of conduct for the General Conference. The ADCA website includes: New valid petitions to ...

1/18/2024

North Georgia Camp and Retreat Ministries and its family of ministries, including Glisson, Grow Day Camps, and ELI (Experiential Leadership Institute), will kick off its summer 2024 schedule in just a few short months. And there's a little more property on the Glisson campus this year thanks to a loan from the Georgia United Methodist Foundation to secure the purchase of 10 acres adjacent to Camp when it unexpectedly became available in 2022. In a Q&A with the Georgia United Methodist Foundation...

1/17/2024

Along with a new health insurance provider (Blue Cross Blue Shield) Wespath has partnered with Quantum Health to provide Care Coordinators who are ready and waiting to help HealthFlex participants navigate their health care in 2024. Care Coordinators provide expert consultation to help HealthFlex participants use their benefits as efficiently and effectively as possible, improve overall health care experience, and reduce your health care costs. Care Coordinators are available at (833) ...

1/16/2024

A community Dinner Church offered by Lawrenceville First UMC, Cannon UMC, and the Southeast Gwinnett Cooperative Ministry is bearing fruit.  By Nicole Meredith Fike, Leader of The Table Community Dinner  As the day approached, the excitement was uncontainable. The three-year journey to get here was in the shadows, and God’s "Yes" had firmly silenced the "No"s! The long-term effects of the pandemic profoundly impacted the Southeast Gwinnett Cooperative Ministry (Co-Op) community. Seniors and ...

1/16/2024

We have heard from a number of North Georgia United Methodists who have been the target of a phishing scam via text that is signed "Bishop Dease." This fraudulent text asks you to text back. Please do not respond to the text or subsequent text messages. If at any time you receive an email or text message that strikes you as unusual, confirm that it's legitimate before you reply. Refrain from forwarding the texts or emails to others. Instead, make a quick phone call, send a new direct text, or ...

1/15/2024

  In the annals of history, few leaders have left an indelible mark on society as Martin Luther King Jr. His towering presence in the American civil rights movement was not only a testament to his commitment to justice but also a shining example of Christian leadership. Dr. King’s impact on the fight for racial justice was deeply rooted in his Christian faith, and his life serves as a beacon of inspiration for all of us seeking to understand the transformative power of Christian leadership. ...

1/10/2024

Conference staff member Angela Odegard has accepted the position of Assistant Director of Conference Benefits, beginning January 1. In this role, Odegard will manage the day-to-day operations of the Benefits Office and will be the primary contact for the Benefits Office. (Find her contact information here.) Odegard has served on the North Georgia Conference staff since October 2022.  Conference Treasurer and CFO Allison Berg will assume more limited Conference Benefit Officer duties. "Angela ...

1/10/2024

Now is a good time to make sure your church's information is correct in the "Church Search" at ngumc.org as well as Find a Church at UMC.org. Moving clergy can also update their profile information in data services.  Church Search at NGUMC.org One of the most popular pages on the Conference website is the "Church Search." Find it at the top of the North Georgia Conference website by clicking "Churches" or going to https://www.ngumc.org/churches.) To update or correct information such as ...

1/10/2024

North Georgia Conference e-newsletters are a key to staying inspired and connected to The United Methodist Church! You are invited to subscribe to the e-newsletters you find most valuable.  Each week Rev. Dr. Terry Walton, our Executive Assistant to the Bishop, shares a personal reflection with North Georgia United Methodists. Monday Memo has become a treasured touchpoint for many as they begin their week. "Always thinking," Terry shares his personal experiences, ministry insights, concerns, ...

1/10/2024

In honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, United Methodists across the North Georgia Conference are serving, hosting their neighbors, and offering special worship services this weekend. Below are some of the special events and service projects: Andrews Chapel UMC Jonesboro is hosting the 39th annual Clayton County MLK Ecumenical Service. (Learn more.) Ben Hill UMC Atlanta is hosting its annual MLK Community Program, honoring and celebrating the legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Service...

1/9/2024

Delegates to the 2024 Southeastern Jurisdictional Conference received a letter January 8 from the SEJ Committee on Episcopacy. In the letter, the COE offers recommendations that will be before the SEJ Conference in July. Rev. Dr. Byron Thomas, chair of our delegation, shares the letter below.     Southeastern Jurisdiction of The United Methodist Church Committee on Episcopacy January 8, 2024 Dear SEJ Delegates: Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ as we begin the new year of 2024 ...

1/4/2024

The North Georgia Conference Center for Congregational Excellence is offering two next-level training opportunities for clergy and laity this month!  Both will be presented by Jason Moore, known throughout our denomination and beyond for decades of designing dynamic resources, training, coaching, and consulting for churches of all sizes, styles, and means.  Using AI Tools in the Church Jason will walk you through what A.I. is, why we should be using it in the church (with theological ...

1/3/2024

Students at seven colleges, including Reinhardt in the North Georgia Conference, have access to free or low-cost food and hygiene products thanks to grants from the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries. Food insecurity on college campuses is often a hidden problem because students do not want to admit they are in need. The grants were funded by offerings on Human Relations Day, which is coming up on January 14, 2024. Christie R. House reports at umcmission.org/story/responding-to-food-i...

1/2/2024

As laity in step into new leadership roles in your church this new year, our UMC General Board of Discipleship shares helpful church leadership job descriptions, spiritual gifts that benefit each role, responsibilities of leaders and committees, resources, and more!  This includes: SPR/PPR Committee  Trustees  Finance Committee Chairperson  Lay Leader  Lay Member of Annual Conference  Financial Secretary  Church Treasurer  Membership Secretary  Church Council / Administrative Board Chairperson...

12/28/2023

January 1, HealthFlex Participants will begin using Blue Cross Blue Shield health insurance, and will soon receive new Blue Cross Blue Shield HealthFlex ID cards.  We expect most individuals will receive them by mail this week, but we are happy to report that the ID cards are already available online on the Quantum Health website and app.  If members need their ID cards before they arrive in the mail, either call your (new) Care Coordinator at 833-762-0876 for assistance, or access the ID card ...

12/21/2023

Vamonos al campo means Let’s go to the fields (or country). Jesus told those who would listen to him, “The fields are ready for the harvest” (John 4.34). In those fields, we hear the cry of the Psalmist: “Hear my prayer, Lord, listen to my cry for help; do not be deaf to my weeping. I dwell with you as a foreigner, a stranger, as all my ancestors were” (Psalm 39.12, NIV).  Across North Georgia there are thousands Hispanic and Latino families and individuals seeking a better, healthier, and ...

12/19/2023

Dr. Stephen Redmond of our Conference Disaster Response Warehouse helps with roof work on a home near Griffin. In the aftermath of early 2023 tornadoes that swept across our state, North Georgia United Methodists are working with partners to bring hope and recovery to those affected — particularly those in hardest-hit areas around West Point and Griffin.  With 20 ongoing projects and more in the pipeline, now is the time for church work teams to join the disaster recovery effort. Whether you ...